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Abstract:

A reserve power source for charging a device, such as a depleted power
source or a vehicle. The reserve power source including: a reserve
battery which requires activation to produce power, such as a thermal
battery or a liquid reserve battery; an activator for activating the
reserve power upon one of an electrical or mechanical activation; and a
pair of terminals operatively connected to the reserve battery for
outputting the produced power. The reserve power source can also include
a cable connected to each of the pair of terminals for connecting
outputting the produced power to the depleted power source and/or
conditioning circuitry for conditioning the produced power prior to
output at the terminals. The reserve battery can also include a stop for
preventing the activator from activating the reserve power source, where
the stop is selectively removable when activation is desired.

Claims:

1. A reserve power source for providing power to a device, the reserve
power source comprising: a reserve battery which requires activation to
produce power; an activator for activating the reserve power upon one of
an electrical or mechanical activation; and a pair of terminals
operatively connected to the reserve battery for outputting the produced
power.

2. The reserve power source of claim 1, further comprising a cable
connected to each of the pair of terminals for connecting outputting the
produced power to the depleted power source.

3. The reserve power source of claim 1, further comprising conditioning
circuitry for conditioning the produced power prior to output at the
terminals.

4. The reserve power source of claim 1, further comprising a stop for
preventing the activator from activating the reserve power source, the
stop being selectively removable when activation is desired.

5. The reserve power source of claim 1, wherein the reserve battery is a
liquid reserve battery.

6. The reserve power source of claim 5, wherein the liquid reserve
battery includes an opening, and the activator comprises a container
having a liquid electrolyte contained therein and a member for releasing
the liquid electrolyte into the opening upon activation of the member.

7. The reserve battery of claim 5, wherein the container is disposed in a
sealed cavity.

8. The reserve battery of claim 5, wherein the container is sealed.

9. The reserve power source of claim 1, wherein the reserve battery is a
thermal battery.

10. The reserve power source of claim 9, wherein the thermal battery
includes an opening, and the activator comprises a flammable material and
generates one or more of a spark or flames in the flammable material and
providing one of the flames or sparks into the opening.

11. The reserve power source of claim 9, wherein the thermal battery
comprises an opening, and the activator comprises at least a single part
pyrotechnic material that provides one or more of a spark and flames into
the opening upon initiation of the pyrotechnic material.

12. The reserve power source of claim 1, wherein the device is an
automobile and the power is used to start an engine of the automobile.

13. A method for providing power from a reserve power source, the method
comprising: activating a reserve battery upon one of an electrical or
mechanical activation; providing power produced from the reserve battery
to a pair of terminals operatively connected to the reserve battery; and
providing the power produced from the reserve battery at least indirectly
to the device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising conditioning the produced
power prior to providing to the device.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising preventing the activator
from activating the reserve power source and removing the preventing
prior to the activating.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the reserve battery is a liquid
reserve battery and the activating includes releasing a liquid
electrolyte into an opening in the liquid reserve battery.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the reserve battery is a thermal
battery and the activating includes generating one or more of a spark or
flames in a flammable material and providing one of the flames or sparks
into an opening in the thermal battery.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the reserve battery is a thermal
battery and the activating includes generating one or more of a spark and
flames from at least a single part pyrotechnic material and providing the
one or more of the spark and flames into an opening in the thermal
battery.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the device is a depleted power
source.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the depleted power source is a
rechargeable battery.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the depleted power source is a
capacitor.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the device is an automobile and the
reserve power is used to start an engine of the automobile.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to devices for starting engines in
cars and other vehicles, emergency generators and the like, with
self-contained very long lasting reserve power sources and their means of
activation and electrical storage and regulation.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] A motor vehicle storage battery frequently falls into a state of
discharge such that it cannot deliver sufficient current to the starter
motor. This is often due to lights or other accessories being accidently
left on. Also, defective vehicle charging systems or the age of the
battery can result in the same problem. To start the engine of a vehicle,
generator or the like whose storage battery has been partially or
completely discharged requires either by-passing the electrical starting
system entirely or supplying the electrical starting system with an
additional source of external electrical power.

[0005] The former technique is generally accomplished by turning the
engine directly (e.g., by push-starting a vehicle with non-automatic
transmission) or by using jumper cables connected to a fully charged
external power source, e.g., from another vehicle or another appropriate
battery. Jump starting requires the aid of another battery that can
provide the required power to start the engine.

[0006] The prior art teaches self-contained power sources for starting
vehicle engines that have their main source of power being either one or
more rechargeable batteries (lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, etc.) together
with primary batteries and/or capacitors or their various combinations.
The disadvantages of such power sources for starting a car or the like
engines when the vehicle or the like battery cannot deliver sufficient
current to the starter motor to start the engine include firstly the need
to ensure that the rechargeable battery is always charged--which is a
problem since most users do not spend the time to check the power source
on a regular basis; secondly the fact that even rechargeable batteries
have limited life and may not be fully operational when needed after a
few years, i.e., have a relatively short life; thirdly, the amount of
power that the power source can provide deteriorates over time; and
fourthly, the power sources are usually relatively large and in general
can suffer from corrosion and leaks over times. In addition, all
currently available rechargeable batteries use hazardous materials and
must be disposed properly and in general pose to pollute the environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A need therefore exists for power sources for starting car or the
like engines when the vehicle or the like battery cannot deliver
sufficient current to the starter motor to start the engine that is
convenient to use; its reliability is not dependent on regular testing of
the device for proper operation; it stays fully operation over very long
periods of time, even longer than the average life of a vehicle; its
output does not deteriorate over time; it does not become a source of
environmental pollution. The power sources are preferably significantly
smaller than the currently available devices.

[0008] Accordingly, a reserve power source for charging a depleted power
source is provided. The reserve power source comprising: a reserve
battery which requires activation to produce power; an activator for
activating the reserve power upon one of an electrical or mechanical
activation; and a pair of terminals operatively connected to the reserve
battery for outputting the produced power.

[0009] The reserve power source can further comprise a cable connected to
each of the pair of terminals for connecting outputting the produced
power to the depleted power source.

[0010] The reserve power source can further comprise conditioning
circuitry for conditioning the produced power prior to output at the
terminals.

[0011] The reserve power source can further comprises a stop for
preventing the activator from activating the reserve power source, the
stop being selectively removable when activation is desired.

[0012] The reserve battery can be a liquid reserve battery. The liquid
reserve battery can include an opening, and the activator can comprise a
container having a liquid electrolyte contained therein and a member for
releasing the liquid electrolyte into the opening upon activation of the
member. The container can be disposed in a sealed cavity. The container
can be sealed.

[0013] The reserve battery can be a thermal battery. The thermal battery
can include an opening, and the activator can comprise a flammable
material and generates one or more of a spark or flames in the flammable
material and providing one of the flames or sparks into the opening. The
thermal battery can comprise an opening, and the activator can comprise
at least a single part pyrotechnic material that provides one or more of
a spark and flames into the opening upon initiation of the pyrotechnic
material.

[0014] Also provided is a method for charging a depleted power source from
a reserve power source. The method comprising: activating a reserve
battery upon one of an electrical or mechanical activation; providing
power produced from the reserve battery to a pair of terminals
operatively connected to the reserve battery; and providing the power
produced from the reserve battery at least indirectly to the depleted
power source.

[0015] The method can further comprise conditioning the produced power
prior to providing to the depleted power source.

[0016] The method can further comprise preventing the activator from
activating the reserve power source and removing the preventing prior to
the activating.

[0017] The reserve battery can be a liquid reserve battery and the
activating can include releasing a liquid electrolyte into an opening in
the liquid reserve battery.

[0018] The reserve battery can be a thermal battery and the activating can
include generating one or more of a spark or flames in a flammable
material and providing one of the flames or sparks into an opening in the
thermal battery.

[0019] The reserve battery can be a thermal battery and the activating can
include generating one or more of a spark and flames from at least a
single part pyrotechnic material and providing the one or more of the
spark and flames into an opening in the thermal battery.

[0020] The depleted power source can be a vehicle battery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the apparatus
of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the
following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic of the first embodiment of the power
sources for starting engines of vehicles and the like.

[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic of a typical liquid reserve battery
with a mechanical activation mechanism for use in power sources for
starting engines of vehicles and the like of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic of the cross-section of the view "A"
of FIG. 2, showing a preferred embodiment of the electrolyte storage and
mechanical activation mechanism that is equipped with an accidental
activation prevention mechanism.

[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic of an accidental activation "pin"
for the liquid reserve battery of FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0026] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic of the cross-section of the view "A"
of FIG. 2, showing another preferred embodiment of the electrolyte
storage and mechanical activation mechanism that is equipped with an
accidental activation prevention mechanism.

[0027] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic of the electrolyte storage and
activation mechanism portion of the liquid reserve battery of FIG. 1
after rupture of the membrane to release the electrolyte into the battery
cell for activation.

[0028] FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic of a typical reserve thermal battery
with an electrically initiated igniter for use in power sources for
starting engines of vehicles and the like of FIG. 1.

[0029] FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic of the cross-section of the view "B"
of FIG. 7, showing a preferred embodiment of the thermal battery
activation device.

[0030] FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic of a typical reserve thermal battery
equipped with a piezoelectric igniter for initiating the thermal battery
used in power sources for starting engines of vehicles and the like of
FIG. 1.

[0031] FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic of the cross-section of the view
"C" of FIG. 9, showing another preferred embodiment of the thermal
battery activation device.

[0032] FIG. 11 illustrates a schematic of a typical reserve thermal
battery equipped with an impact and pyrotechnic material based igniter
for initiating the thermal battery used in power sources for starting
engines of vehicles and the like of FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 12 illustrates a schematic of the cross-section of the view
"D" of FIG. 11, showing another preferred embodiment of the thermal
battery activation device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0034] A schematic of a first embodiment 10 of the power source for
starting engines of vehicles and the like is shown in FIG. 1. The power
source 10 consists of at least one reserve battery 11, such as a thermal
battery, with an activation device 12, such as a mechanical initiator
(described later in the description) or electrical initiator, terminals
13 and 14. The cables 15 and 16 with corresponding clamps 17 and 18,
respectively, are then used to transfer power to the vehicle to start the
engine. The power source 10 is generally used to supplement power to the
vehicle battery when it cannot deliver sufficient current to the starter
motor to start the engine.

[0035] In general, depending on the type, voltage level and the amount of
electrical power that the reserve batteries 11 can provide, the power
source 10 may require power regulation and capacitance storage elements
to provide the proper voltage and current to the aforementioned engine
started. When the above is the case, the power can be routed from the
terminals 13 and 14 via wires (not shown) to the regulation (and if
needed capacitance storage) unit 19. The cables 15 and 16 are then output
from the regulation unit 19.

[0036] In the following, the reserve power sources that can be used in the
power source 10 of FIG. 1 and the preferred initiation methods and
devices are described.

[0037] Reserve batteries are widely used in military applications,
particularly in munitions of various types. Reserve batteries are
inactive and inert when manufactured and become active and begin to
produce power only when they are activated. Reserve batteries are
routinely designed for shelf life of 10-20 years and even longer. Reserve
batteries are divided into the following two main types.

[0038] A first type includes liquid reserve batteries, in which the
electrolyte is stored in a separate compartment such as in a glass
ampoule or behind a membrane, etc., and is released into the battery cell
when the battery is desired to be activated. In general and for rapid
activation, certain means have to be provided to help distribute the
electrolyte within the battery cell. Liquid reserve batteries usually use
certain mechanism to break the aforementioned glass ampoule or membrane,
etc. to release the electrolyte to activate the reserve battery. In many
munitions applications, the firing (setback) acceleration is used to
break the aforementioned glass ampoule or membrane to release the stored
electrolyte to activate the reserve battery. Wicks or spinning of the
projectile is then usually used to distribute the electrolyte inside the
battery cell.

[0039] A second type of reserve batteries are thermal batteries. This
class of reserve batteries operates at high temperature. Unlike liquid
reserve batteries, in thermal batteries the electrolyte is already in the
cells and therefore does not require a distribution mechanism. In thermal
batteries, the electrolyte is dry, solid and non-conductive, thereby
leaving the battery in a non-operational and inert condition. These
batteries incorporate pyrotechnic heat sources to melt the electrolyte
just prior to use in order to make them electrically conductive and
thereby making the battery active. A common internal pyrotechnic is a
blend of Fe and KClO4. Thermal batteries utilize a molten salt to
serve as the electrolyte upon activation. The electrolytes can be
mixtures of alkali-halide salts and can be used with Li(Si)/FeS2 or
Li(Si)/CoS2 couples. Some thermal batteries also employ anodes of
Li(Al) in place of the Li(Si) anodes. Insulation and internal heat sinks
are used to maintain the electrolyte in its molten and conductive
condition during the time of use.

[0040] Reserve batteries, particularly thermal batteries have long been
used in munitions and other similar applications to provide a relatively
large amount of power during a relatively short period of time, mainly
during the munitions flight. Thermal batteries have high power density
and can provide a large amount of power as long as the electrolyte of the
thermal battery stays molten, thereby conductive. The batteries are
usually encased in a hermetically-sealed metal container that is usually
cylindrical in shape.

[0041] Thermal batteries generally use some type of igniter to provide a
controlled pyrotechnic reaction to produce output gas, flame or hot
particles to ignite the heating elements of the thermal battery. There
are currently two distinct classes of igniters that are available for use
in thermal batteries. The first class of igniter operates based on
electrical energy. Such electrical igniters require electrical energy,
such as a separate battery, mechanical to electrical conversion mechanism
(such as a crank), or other power sources to operate the electrical
igniter and initiate the thermal battery. The second class of igniters,
commonly called "inertial igniters", are widely used in gun-fired
munitions and operate based on the firing acceleration. In these
igniters, the firing (setback) acceleration is generally used to
accelerate a "striker mass" to initiate the igniter pyrotechnic material
upon impact, generally at provided pinching points. The inertial igniters
do not require additional batteries or other power sources for their
operation and are thereby often used in high-G munitions applications
such as in gun-fired munitions and mortars.

[0042] The aforementioned characteristics of liquid reserve and thermal
batteries indicate that for most engine starting applications, thermal
batteries can be used as a reserve power source (11 in FIG. 1). Although
thermal batteries are used in the construction of the present power
sources 10, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that
liquid reserve batteries can also be used.

[0043] When being used in a device for starting an engine such as the
engine of a car or generator, the reserve battery based power source is
highly desirable to be capable of being easily activated without
requiring external power sources or requiring the operation of a complex
device. The activation device of the reserve battery is also highly
desirable to be equipped with safety "locks" such that the reserve
battery may not be accidentally activated.

[0044] In addition, for applications in vehicles or the like, the power
source may be stored in the vehicle and thus, must be capable of
withstanding vibration and other environmental effects such as variations
in the temperature and humidity and still be functional, i.e., being
capable of being activated and provide power to start the intended
engine.

[0045] As previously mentioned, liquid reserve batteries are initiated by
the release of the electrolyte into the battery cell. The electrolyte is
usually stored in a glass ampoule or in a separate compartment and is
provided with a membrane or the like in the battery assembly and released
into the battery cell by breaking the glass ampoule or rupturing the said
membrane. Many other designs of liquid reserve batteries assemblies for
keeping the electrolyte out of the battery cell and releasing it into the
battery cell are also known in the art. For the present application, the
method of activating such liquid reserve thermal batteries is manually
and via mechanical actuation. Numerous such mechanical devices of various
types can be constructed depending on the liquid reserve battery design.
The following are a few preferred types of mechanical liquid reserve
battery activation devices.

[0046] Consider a basic liquid reserve battery shown by the schematic of
FIG. 2. In the schematic of FIG. 2, the liquid reserve battery 20 (no
terminals are shown for simplicity) is shown to consist of the battery
cell 21 and the compartment 22 (which also includes the mechanical
initiation mechanisms 23), in which the liquid electrolyte is stored.
Noting that many different liquid electrolyte storage methods and means
are possible--many of which are known in the art, and also noting that
many different methods and means of releasing the stored electrolyte are
possible--also many of which are known in the art, the embodiment that is
presented in the schematic of FIG. 2 and is described below is considered
to be for illustration purposes only of the characteristics of such
liquid reserve battery designs, and is considered to be capable of being
constructed with any appropriate means of mechanical activation.

[0047] In the schematic of FIG. 2, the liquid reserve battery 20,
including its cell portion 21 and its electrolyte compartment 22 is
considered to be cylindrical in shape, but can take many shapes. The
cross-section of the view "A" (FIG. 2) of the aforementioned compartment
22 of the electrolyte storage and mechanical activation mechanism 23 is
shown schematically in FIG. 3. The compartment 22 consists of a bellow 24
which is attached on one end to the top cap 25 of the cell portion 21 of
the liquid reserve battery and to the top element 26 on the other end.
The bellow 24 is preferably welded, soldered or brazed to the top cap 25
and the top element 26 (or attached using any other available method)
such that it would form a sealed seam and render the liquid reserve
battery 20 hermetically sealed. The liquid electrolyte 27 is considered
to be stored in a sealed container 28. A pin element 29 with a sharp tip
30 is fixed to the top element 26 as shown in FIG. 3. A safety pin 33
(FIG. 4) with a handle 34 and a two-prong fork 32 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is
generally positioned between the top cap 25 and the top element 26 to
prevent accidental activation of the liquid reserve battery 20 as
described below.

[0048] To activate the liquid reserve battery 20, the user would first
pull out the safety pin 33. As a result, the bellow 24 becomes free to
displace downwards. The bellow 24 is preferably at or close to its free
length with the safety pin 33 in place as shown in FIG. 3 so that it
would not suddenly displace downward upon removal of the safety pin 33.
To activate the liquid reserve battery, the user must then press down the
element 23 (rigid button in this case), thereby causing the bellow 24 to
compress, moving the pin element 29 down towards the electrolyte
container 28, and eventually pressing the sharp tip 30 of the pin element
29 to the surface of the electrolyte container 28 and causing it to
break, if it is made as a glass ampoule, or rupture, if it is made as a
relatively thin metal or the like membrane, in which case the pin element
29 is preferably made to be long enough to reach the opposite side of the
electrolyte container 28 above the top cap 25 and also rupture the
electrolyte container 28 over the hole 31 which is provided in the top
cap 25 as shown in FIG. 3. As a result, the electrolyte liquid 27 is
released and by the force of gravity would pour into the cell 21 cavity
and activate the liquid reserve battery 20.

[0049] Alternatively, the compartment 22 (FIG. 2) can be constructed as
shown in the schematic of the cross-section view shown in FIG. 5
(replacing the view "A" of FIG. 2 shown in FIG. 3). In this embodiment,
the compartment 22 consists of the bellow 24 which is attached on one end
to the top cap 25 of the cell portion 21 of the liquid reserve battery
and to the top element 26 on the other end. The bellow 24 is preferably
welded, soldered or brazed to the top cap 25 and the top element 26 (or
attached using any other available method) such that it would form a
sealed seam and render the liquid reserve battery 20 hermetically sealed.
The hole 31 which is provided in the top cap 25 is covered by a membrane
35 to seal the hole 31. The volume inside the bellow 24 is filled with
the liquid electrolyte 36, with the membrane 35 ensuring that the liquid
electrolyte 36 would not leak into the interior of the cell 21 of the
liquid reserve battery 20. The pin element 29 with a sharp tip 30 is
still fixed to the top element 26 as shown in FIG. 5. A safety pin 33
(FIG. 4) with a handle 34 and a two-prong fork 32 (FIGS. 4 and 5) is
generally positioned between the top cap 25 and the top element 26 to
prevent accidental activation of the liquid reserve battery 20 as
described below.

[0050] To activate the liquid reserve battery 20, the user would first
pull out the safety pin 33. As a result, the bellow 24 becomes free to
displace downwards. The bellow 24 is preferably at or close to its free
length with the safety pin 33 in place as shown in FIG. 5 so that it
would not suddenly travel downward upon removal of the safety pin 33. To
activate the liquid reserve battery, the user must then press down the
element 23 (rigid button in this case), thereby causing the bellow 24 to
compress, moving the pin element 29 down towards the membrane 35, and
eventually pressing the sharp tip 30 of the pin element 29 and puncturing
the membrane 35. Once the user releases the bellow 24, the electrolyte
liquid 36 would freely flow into the cell 21 cavity by the force of
gravity and/or the pressure exerted on the element 23, and activates the
liquid reserve battery 20.

[0051] It is appreciated by those skilled in the art that the element 23
is not necessary for the embodiments of FIGS. 2-5. The element 23 may,
however, be constructed with a lever mechanism connecting the top element
26 to the body of the cell 21, thereby providing for mechanical advantage
to amplify the force applied by the user to drive the pin element 29 down
to release the liquid electrolyte 27 and 36 of FIGS. 3 and 5,
respectively. Many such lever type mechanisms are well known in the art
and can be used in the embodiments of FIGS. 2-5.

[0052] Alternatively, the bellow 24 may be preloaded in tension in the
configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 with the safety pin 33 in place. The
said tensile preloading may be provided by the flexibility of the bellow
24 or by additional helical springs (not shown) that are attached to the
top cap 25 on one side and to the top element 26 on the other. The said
helical spring may be positioned either inside or outside the bellow 24.

[0053] For such embodiment, the user can activate the liquid reserve
battery 20 by simply pulling the safety pin 33 out. The tensile
preloading will then force the bellow 24 to displace downwards, moving
the pin element 29 down towards the membrane 35, and eventually pressing
the sharp tip 30 of the pin element 29 against the membrane 35 and
puncturing it. The stem 37 of the pin element 29 behind its sharp tip 30
is preferably provided with a narrow section so that after the sharp tip
30 has passed through the membrane 35 as shown in FIG. 6, the electrolyte
liquid 36 can more freely flow into the cell 21 cavity by the force of
gravity and/or by the aforementioned tensile preloading of the bellow 24
and activates the liquid reserve battery 20.

[0054] In an embodiment of the power source 10, FIG. 1, for starting
engines of vehicles and the like, the reserve battery 11 can be a thermal
battery. The basic structure of a typical reserve thermal battery is
shown in the schematic of FIG. 7 (again, the terminals and cables are not
shown for simplicity). In the schematic of FIG. 7, the reserve thermal
battery 50 includes the battery cell 51 and the compartment 52, which
includes the battery initiation device. As previously described, two
basic types of initiators are commonly use and may also be used to
activate thermal batteries, i.e., to ignite their so-called heat pallets,
namely electrical initiators and those that rely on impact (and generally
local temperature rise at the site of impact) at pinching points in (one
part or two part) pyrotechnic materials.

[0055] A third type of initiator that can also be used to similarly
initiate the present thermal batteries consist of the use of
piezoelectric materials to generate a relatively high voltage upon sudden
application of force (impact force) to provide a spark to activate the
thermal battery.

[0056] The disclosed power source 10 for starting engines of vehicles and
the like of present invention, FIG. 1, may use either one (or
combination) of the above three types of initiation mechanisms to
activate the device reserve (in this case thermal) battery 11.

[0057] In the schematic of FIG. 7, the reserve thermal battery 50 (no
power source terminals are shown), including its battery cell portion 51
and the compartment 52 which houses the battery initiation (activation)
elements are shown. The thermal batteries are generally designed in
cylindrical shapes mainly from heat retention and manufacturing
considerations, but may be formed in almost any other practical shapes.
In the following description, thermal batteries with the aforementioned
three initiation options are described. It is, however, appreciated by
those skilled in the art that more than one initiator of one type or
different types may also be used (such as being assembled in the
compartment 52) to ensure reliability of thermal battery activation and
the ease with which the thermal battery can be activated by the user.

[0058] In one embodiment, the thermal battery 50 is activated electrically
using an electrical initiator 53 (igniter) mounted in the compartment 52
as shown in the cross-section of the view "B" (FIG. 7) shown in FIG. 8.
Such electrical igniters are well known in the art and usually consist of
a heating wire (heating element) 54, which is heated by an electrical
current (the so-called electric match). In FIG. 8, the terminals 57 and
58 are considered to be for connection to the aforementioned power source
that is used to activate the thermal battery. The heating element 54 is
usually surrounded by pyrotechnic or other easy to ignite material 55
that are first ignited by the heating element 54 and generate flames and
spark that enter the thermal battery cell to initiate the battery heat
pallets through a provided opening 56 as shown in FIG. 8.

[0059] Alternatively, the heating element 54 of the electrical igniter 53
is positioned inside the thermal battery cell and is in direct contact
with the heat pallets of the thermal battery via certain easier to ignite
medium such as the so-called heat paper.

[0060] In this embodiment, an outside power source is required to supply
the required current to the electrical igniter 53 to activate the thermal
battery 50. In most vehicles, even when the vehicle battery is discharged
to a level that it could not provide enough current to the starter motor
to start the engine, it would still have enough power to power an
electric igniter to activate a thermal battery since such electric
igniters require very small amount of electrical energy to ignite their
pyrotechnic material (the amount of electrical energy may be as low as
3-4 milli-Joules). In such cases, the electrical igniter 53 may be
powered by the vehicle battery itself for thermal battery activation. In
such a case and when needed, the reserve thermal battery 11 the power
source 10, FIG. 1, is first connected via the clamps 17 and 18 (with the
correct polarity) to the vehicle battery terminals, and then the thermal
battery is preferably activated by closing a circuit switch that would
supply power to the heating element 54 of the electrical igniter 53 to
activate the thermal battery, thereby allowing enough power to be
provided to the engine starter motor for the user to start the engine.

[0061] Alternatively, an external power source (primary battery) has to be
provided for thermal battery activation. Considering the goal of
eliminating the need for any type of power source other than very long
lasting and highly reliable reserve (liquid reserve and thermal)
batteries, the latter option is not a preferred embodiment unless a
similarly very long lasting (low power) battery that can provide enough
power to ignite an electrical initiator is used.

[0062] Alternatively, a piezoelectric-based power generator may be used to
generate enough electrical energy to power the electrical igniter 53 to
activate the thermal battery. Such piezoelectric-based generators have
been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,312,557; 7,701,120, the disclosures of
which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0063] In the embodiment 50 of FIG. 7 and for the aforementioned type of
initiators used to activate the thermal battery, a safety pin or cap or
switch (not shown) can be used to prevent unintended activation of the
thermal battery. Such devices for preventing unintended actuation of a
switch or caps that have to be removed or displaced to access activation
switches or levers are well known in the art and may be used for this
purpose.

[0064] In another embodiment, an aforementioned piezoelectric type of
initiator (hereinafter referred to as "piezo initiator") is used to
activate the thermal battery by generating sparks upon actuation.
Piezoelectric ignition is a type of ignition that is commonly used in gas
stoves, portable camping stoves, gas grills and some other types of
lighters. It consists of a small, spring-loaded hammer which, when a
button is pressed, hits a crystal of piezoelectric element (PZT) or
quartz crystal. This sudden forceful deformation (impact) produces a high
voltage and subsequent electrical discharge, which ignites the gas.

[0065] In this embodiment 60, a "piezo initiator" 61 is attached to the
thermal battery cell 62 as shown in the schematic of FIG. 9. For the sake
of simplicity, a button type "piezo igniter" (button indicated by numeral
63) is shown in the schematic of FIG. 9. The schematic of the
cross-section of the view "C" (FIG. 9) shown in FIG. 10. In FIG. 10, the
"piezo initiator" portion 61 is shown to consist of a chamber 64, in
which certain pyrotechnic material with or without certain intermediate
and more easily ignited material such as the so-called heat papers 65 is
provided.

[0066] To activate the thermal battery 60, the user would press on the
"piezo igniter" button 63, thereby causing the igniter to generate an
electrical discharge 66, which would in turn ignite the pyrotechnic
material 65. The flame and sparks generated by the pyrotechnic material
65 would then enter the thermal battery cell 62 through the provided hole
67, and ignite the thermal battery heat pallets. As previously indicated,
intermediate materials such as heat papers may also be provided inside
the thermal battery cell 62 to help and ensure that the thermal battery
heat pallets are ignited.

[0067] In another embodiment 70, which is shown schematically in FIG. 11,
employs an impact based initiator 71 to initiate the thermal battery. The
basic mechanism of operation of this initiator is similar to the
aforementioned "inertial igniters", with the difference being that the
impact is achieved by a spring that is preloaded and then released by
pushing a button (similar to the aforementioned "piezo igniter"), pulling
a lever or handle (to preload a spring in tension or compression and then
release it upon further pulling of the lever or handle), or rotation of a
lever (to similarly preload a spring in either tension or compression and
then release it upon further rotation of the lever), or the like. A
"hammer" or "striker mass" is attached to the releasing end of the spring
and is thereby released upon the release of the spring. The "hammer" or
"striker mass" would then strike an "anvil" (a base striking element).
One part or two part pyrotechnic materials are at the point of impact,
preferably as provided protrusions on one or preferably both surfaces,
thereby pinching the pyrotechnic material(s) between the pinching points
during the impact, and thereby initiating the pyrotechnic material. The
flame and sparks generated by the ignited pyrotechnic material is then
guided through provided ports into the thermal battery cell to ignite the
heat pallets in the thermal batter (directly or via other easy to ignite
materials such as the so-called heat papers).

[0068] In the schematic of the embodiment 70, which is shown schematically
in FIG. 11, an impact based initiator 71 is used for activation of the
thermal battery. The cross-section of the view "D" (FIG. 11) of the
impact based initiator 71 is shown schematically in FIG. 12. The impact
based initiator 71 is shown to consist of an impact generating component
73 (in this case and as an example, a button type--similar to that of 63
for the "piezo-igniter" of the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10), with an
impact hammer 74. The anvil portion is the base of the housing 77, which
is provided with a protrusion 76, which faces the tip (protrusion) 75 of
the hammer 74. A one part pyrotechnic material 78 is provided over and
around the protrusion 76. If a two part pyrotechnic material is used,
then one part will be used to cover the protrusion 75 and the other part
will be used to cover the protrusion 76.

[0069] To activate the thermal battery 70, the user would press on the
button 73 (the impact generating component of the initiator 71), thereby
causing the spring in the impact generating initiator (not shown) to
compress (or extend) and then release and thereby propel the impact
hammer 74 forwards towards the pyrotechnic material 78. The tip 75 of the
impact hammer 74 will then impact over the protrusion 76 on the base of
the housing 77, thereby pinching a portion of the pyrotechnic material 78
between the protrusions 75 and 76, thereby causing it to ignite. The
pyrotechnic material 78 is thereby ignited. The resulting flames and
sparks would then enter the thermal battery cell 72 through the provided
hole 79 provided into the thermal battery cell, and ignite the thermal
battery heat pallets. As previously indicated, intermediate materials
such as heat papers may also be provided inside the thermal battery cell
72 and/or inside the housing 77 to help and ensure that the thermal
battery heat pallets are ignited.

[0070] It is appreciated by those skilled with the art that the disclosed
power source 10 for starting engines of vehicles and the like may be
provided with more than one reserve power source, which may be a
combination of different types of reserve power sources such as a
combination of at least one liquid reserve battery and at least one
thermal battery. Alternatively, the disclosed power source 10 for
starting engines of vehicles and the like may also be provided with
rechargeable batteries and/or capacitors that are kept charged by the
vehicle battery charging system so that the reserve batteries (liquid
reserve and/or thermal battery) are used only if the rechargeable
batteries and/or capacitors used are discharged to the point that they
cannot provide enough power to start the intended engine. In any of the
above combinations, the entire power source and its components shown in
FIG. 1 can be used.

[0071] It is also appreciated by those skilled in the art that power
source 10 may be packaged (such as in a case with a handle and relatively
well sealed) for ease of storage and carrying and be brought to the
engine and attached by the clamps 17 and 18, FIG. 1, to the vehicle or
the like battery. The user can then activate the reserve battery to
provide the power to start the engine. The power source can then be
disconnected from the vehicle or the like battery. Alternatively, the
power source 10 may be permanently mounted onto the vehicle or the like
with its cables 15 and 16 attached to proper vehicle power cables so that
whenever it is needed, the reserve battery 11 of the power source 10
could be activated (such as manually and from an interior of the vehicle)
to allow the engine to be started.

[0072] The regulation unit 19 consists of the one of the commonly used
electrical and electronics circuitries that are used to condition the
voltage and current (power) output of the at least one (liquid or
thermal) reserve batteries 11 to match the requirements of the intended
vehicle or the like engine starter motor. The unit 19 may also use at
least one relatively high capacitance capacitor to allow the power source
10 to output enough current to the engine starter motor to enable it to
start the vehicle or the like engine. Such capacitors will be necessary
to allow the use of relatively smaller reserve batteries and extend the
amount of time that the power source 10 is capable of being used to start
the engine. Such capacitors may particularly be required when liquid
reserve are used in the power source 10, since unlike thermal batteries,
such batteries are usually not capable of providing high currents.

[0073] While there has been shown and described what is considered to be
preferred embodiments of the invention, it will, of course, be understood
that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be
made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore
intended that the invention be not limited to the exact forms described
and illustrated, but should be constructed to cover all modifications
that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.